Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting Spring 2019 Bulletin 124 FREE TV LICENCES FOR THE VLV’s 36th ANNUAL SPRING OVER 75’s? CONFERENCE Thursday 9th May 2019 The Geological Society, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG 10.30 am - 4.00 pm 81% of VLV members who responded to a VLV questionnaire oppose the continuation of free TV licences for households which include someone aged over 75. This is because they oppose the BBC taking on the cost of what they consider to be a welfare benefit. They do not believe that the BBC should decide social policy. They consider BBC to be a VLV’s Spring Conference will focus on whether broadcaster and not a department of government. public service broadcasting can survive current seismic changes in the media world. From If the BBC takes on the burden of the cost of these educational content which can broaden our horizons free licences its income will be cut by approximately to accurate information about what is happening in £750 million, 20% of its budget, and in time this will the world and high quality entertainment and drama: rise because the UK has an ageing population. This all of this can enrich our lives but in an ever more will completely undermine the BBC’s ability to deliver competitive media space we have to ask whether the services it currently provides. It won’t be a matter we can be sure of its future. Growth in commercial of efficiency savings or which services to trim; whole streaming platforms, 40% cuts to the BBC budget, a services are going to have to be cut. rise in online content which is sometimes unreliable A BBC consultation on free age related TV licences and the migration of young people away from closed in February and now the BBC board will traditional TV: can our existing system survive? consider what to do. There are a range of options Sessions will include a panel debate on what the from the most severe, to stop the concession BBC should do about the over 75’s licence fee completely, to the least financially damaging, to concession. We will hear from media strategy expert means test the benefit and raise the age at which it is Claire Enders and Caroline Abrahams, charity available. director of Age UK. Age UK, like VLV, has called on Many VLV members who completed the the government to take back responsibility for questionnaire consider it important that some form of funding the over 75’s concession. help is provided for the poorest elderly but they do We will also look at whether the internet should be not want the BBC to pay for the cost of this support. regulated in light of the government’s deliberations The problem is that few want the BBC to reduce its on this issue. The DCMS Select Committee is calling output. Which services should be cut? Radio 4, BBC on the government to impose regulation on social Two, Radio 3 or CBeebies? If it is to fund the benefit media companies and a compulsory code of ethics as it stands all of them will have to go. for tech companies, overseen by an independent During the last BBC funding negotiations the BBC regulator. agreed this change with the government. The BBC After lunch actress and impressionist Jan Ravens, of thus finds itself in an unenviable position and this is Dead Ringers fame, will present the popular VLV due to the appalling method by which BBC funding Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting. negotiations are conducted - behind closed door discussions with government ministers which are To book a ticket complete the enclosed form or go to agreed without any public or Parliamentary scrutiny. the VLV website—http://www.vlv.org.uk/vlv-events/ springconf2019.html VLV would like to see this process of setting BBC funding overhauled. (continued on page 2) Bulletin Spring 2019 FROM THE CHAIRMAN, COLIN BROWNE Given that the funding of licences for the over 75s is perhaps the most important decision the BBC has faced in recent years, it was pleasing that so many of our members responded to our questionnaire on this subject. Thank you for taking the time to do this and for adding so Voice of the Listener & Viewer many insightful and interesting comments. I am constantly Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting impressed by the knowledge, passion and commitment of our members. VLV President Dame Colette Bowe The funding challenge posed by the over 75s issue comes at a particularly difficult time for the BBC. As we heard at VLV Patrons the interesting session chaired by Alan Yentob at our Autumn Conference, Ms Helen Boaden Rt Revd Lord Eames OM the rapidly increasing competition from global streaming services – Netflix, Ms Claire Enders Amazon, Apple and others – is driving up the costs of production as they Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS compete for talent, particularly in drama. Ironically, this comes in a period Lord Inglewood DL when we have had some outstanding drama from all the public service Lord Phillips of Sudbury OBE Lord Puttnam CBE broadcasters, as evidenced by the shortlist for our annual Awards. Lady Solti Ms Sarah Thane CBE JP The VLV is not against the contribution of the global players. We welcome Sir John Tusa high quality programmes and choice. However, it is very important that our Mr Will Wyatt CBE national players – ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 as well as the BBC – are VLV Trustees not squeezed out and that we do not lose the rich mix of programming, Mr Alan Barlow produced in the UK for UK audiences, that we have enjoyed for so many Professor Robert Beveridge years. It is worth noting that none of the top 25 media companies globally, by Mrs Cheryl Campbell scale, is British. Ensuring that the BBC is adequately funded is one way of Mr Colin Browne (Chairman) Ms Mary Dixon (Secretary) addressing these issues. Mr Peter Gordon (Treasurer) Professor Sylvia Harvey As you will read elsewhere in this Bulletin, the VLV intends to continue its Dr Maria Michalis campaign to ensure that determining the right level of funding for the BBC is Professor Jeanette Steemers in future a much more transparent process and not subject to dubious last- Professor Bob Usherwood minute deals behind closed doors. We believe there is growing support Mr Anthony Wills across the political spectrum for change in this respect. VLV Office The Old Rectory Business Centre Finally, I know many of our members are Radio 4 devotees and I would like Springhead Road to send our thanks and best wishes to Gwyneth Williams as she steps down Northfleet as its controller. While the role can never be free from controversy, we knew Kent DA11 8HN that Gwyneth always had the best interests of the station’s listeners at heart. Tel: 01474 338716 e-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesday& Wednesday 9.30am - 3.30 pm Sophie Chalk Policy Advisor Sarah Staplyton Smith Administrator Colin Browne, Website www.vlv.org.uk Chairman of VLV @vlvuk (continued from page 1) VLV represents citizen and consumer interests in broadcasting and champi- In the past the BBC may have thought it was able to protect itself from ons excellence and diversity in broad- funding raids by the government but the past two rounds of negotiations casting. VLV is free from political, sec- show that it has failed to do so. The 2010 and 2015 funding agreements tarian and commercial affiliations. VLV is concerned with the issues, structures, have left BBC with a severely reduced budget. If the BBC takes on the cost institutions and regulation that underpin of the over 75’s licence fee concession as it stands, in 2020/21 its income the British broadcasting system and in will be 63% of what it was in 2010 without taking inflation into account, which particular to maintain the principles of makes it an even bleaker picture.. public service broadcasting. Along with the cost of the over 75’s fee the BBC also has to now pay for the Views expressed in the bulletin BBC World Service (£268m in 2017/18), S4C (£107m in 2017/18), BBC are those of contributors and Monitoring (£5.5m in 2017/18), local TV (£4.7m) and contribute to do not necessarily reflect those Broadband rollout (£80m in 2017/18). The raids which led to these new of the VLV. financial responsibilities were agreed between former Secretaries of State, Jeremy Hunt and John Whittingdale, and the former Chairs of the BBC Trust, Registered Address: The Old Rectory Sir Michael Lyons and Rona Fairhead. These cuts will have far-reaching Business Centre, Springhead Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 8HN. impacts. As a result of them BBC services will have to be reduced; some The Bulletin is edited by Sophie Chalk and services will have to disappear completely. published by Voice of the Listener & Viewer Ltd, a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No 4407712. Charity In representing the interests of citizens in the UK who benefit from BBC No:1152136 services and output, the VLV will be working hard in the coming months to highlight our concerns about how BBC funding is set. Our goal will be to ISSN 1475-2948 avoid future raids on TV licence income in the next set of negotiations due in 2020 and those in the future. Page 2 Bulletin Spring 2019 CONTESTABLE FUND UPDATE DCMS SELECT COMMITTEE: DISINFORMATION INQUIRY Further details of the Contestable Fund for public The DCMS Select service content have been Committee has released.